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Home > Supported File Formats > X3D to DWF


How to convert X3D (VRML2, VRML97) to DWF (DWFx)?


PolyTrans|CAD+DCC performs mathematically precise CAD, DCC/Animation, GIS and BIM 3D file conversions into all key downstream 3D packages and file formats. Okino software is used and trusted throughout the world by many tens of thousands of 3D professionals in mission & production critical environments, backed by respectable personal support directly from our core development team.

     

X3D

X3D is the XML-based replacement to the venerable VRML2/VRML97 (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) file format of the 1985-era. X3D extends VRML2 with support for CAD, geospatial, humanoid animation and NURBS. It also provides for multi-stage and multi-texture rendering. Each new iteration of the file format brings more modern functionality, headed up by the Web3D Consortium.

VRML2 (and its brotheren X3D) continue to be two of the very best of non-MCAD file formats. Many people (wrongly) believe that FBX is the primary "translation file format" but VRML2 pre-dated it by at least 10+ years and has equally good or better functionality (and in an open, non-proprietary specification).

VRML1 and VRML2 are 3D file formats with a long and complex history. They were originally developed in the mid 1990s to define 'interactive 3D worlds' on the then-new World Wide WEB. However, statistically speaking, VRML2 became more well known as a high quality "data translaton and storage" file format, partly due to Okino pushing it as such a standard in the industry. It was implemented by a good number of 3D software packages and hence became a "reliable back door" to convert 3D assets out of those packages before FBX, DWF, COLLADA, U3D and other similar file formats came along in the mid to late 2000s, or glTF in the late 2010's. So many new 3D file formats were introduced between 2005 and 2007 that many quickly died away or just became ghosts of the past.

Its brothern are also known as VRML2, Classic VRML, VRML97, VRML1 and Inventor2.

     

DWF

Okino knows of the DWF file format very well as we have been involved with its evolution since the year 2000. A DWF file is nothing other than a renamed "ZIP" file which contains other internal assets such as a HOOPS HSF 3D model file and several XML files used to describe meta data and other aspects of the model. You can rename the .dwf file to .zip and then open it in any ZIP handling software.

The HSF file format was created by Ithaca Software in the mid 1980's as an efficient, light weight, compressed 3D visualization format. Thereafter it was adapted and adopted by Tech Soft 3D in the early 2000s for use by Autodesk as a "3D variation" of its prior 2D-vector-centric DWF file format (and hence how HSF became DWF). DWF/HSF is considered a "polygonal mesh" file format and not a NURBS/solids MCAD file format.

DWF attained acceptable traction after 2006 when Autodesk made it a primary conduit to export high quality 3D visualization data from its main CAD products such as AutoCAD, Navisworks, Revit and Inventor. Okino considers DWF as one of its most important non-MCAD file formats to bring in very large 3D models (such as massive oil & gas rigs, 3D plants and refineries) from these 4 aforementioned Autodesk products as well as from AVEVA PDMS software.